This is just a quick little update... and I am trying to answer the same question as OP. I'm late to join this journey..
I got a new NODE and am trying out the different outputs... I sold my only and best digital coax.. so I've ordered a new one... should be here midweek.
I have an audio PC running Windows 10 using Foobar. DAC is a Light Harmonic VI DAC.
For now, I only have a TOSLINK cable made by IXOS.
I'm tired of dealing with my old tablet connected to foobar... I want a modern interface... and no PC/monitor/keyboard in my room... and the maintenance of updating the pc, dealing with drivers, the tablet's aging os, etc... I've also toyed with controlling it via remote desktop from my surface pro... but that's just more stuff to deal with... and I use it for other things.
So... the NODE... plus my wife's old iPad sounded like a great upgrade... and more modern.
Day 1 (2 days ago) was a bit of a ride, I got to hear it go through some serious break-in in the first half-day or so (using TOSLINK). Went from a bit thin to very detailed highs. Very impressive midrange and highs.. wow. But the mid-bass lacks the impact and weight I'm used to... so it's less deep and round.
Using my input selector on the DAC, I a/b compared TOSLINK from the NODE to USB from the Audio PC for a while.
The frequencies are simply handled differently than what they were on the Windows PC/Foobar. Which one is 'better' would depend on what you listen to in music, and what type of music you like.
I find the PC a little deeper richer and transparent in the mid bass and I like how it builds the foundation of the soundstage and allows for a very satisfying sound... The NODE revealed more accurate and real musical elements in the upper mids.. (like cymbals that go 'ding' like a bell instead of a 'tick' with a little 'tink' to them) Can I have both please?
I really hope the coax adds more bass or transparency... or speed? in that region... if not, I'll start playing with the subs to see if I can them more dialed-in to this new presentation...
I tried switching to usb output. I couldn't a/b compare to my DAC since there is only 1 USB input on it. It sounded similar to the TOSLINK; which is very good but didn't fix the bass, and I think added a little 'etch' to the sound somehow. I also compared the stock analog outs to my DAC using the same interconnects as the DAC and A/B'd on the preamp... that was just a 'no'. Not even close.
My overall goal was to not lose anything in SQ but to gain in system simplicity. If I was to gain a little in SQ, great! Fingers crossed on the coax cable. For now, though.. the Audio PC sounds a little more like a real musical presentation and the NODE sounds more like a highly accurate reproduction. That's the bottom line at the moment.... I expect my opinion to change as I get used to it and the subs to be dialed in/tuned... and maybe even a little speaker re-positioning is in order...
edit/update:
Tried the coax, and all 3 inputs sound about the same to me. I tried all settings in the Node.. toggling/listening/comparing.. even tried the tone controls. In the end, the Node ended up being a 'Nope'.
I sent it back... $40 well spent to see if I could improve upon my digital player interface. And the interface didn't blow my socks off either.. kind of confusing to press 'home' in different panes of the windows and just keep working to find what I wanted to do. I guess I could get used to it, but I didn't find it as intuitive as I was expecting. It really seems geared to streaming services; which I also used.. but I also wanted it for my local library.. which it found.. but it wasn't easy.
So, this thing is likely great for some, but a step below the rest of my gear in SQ. Loses some realism/weight and instrument separation compared to my audio PC using stock foobar. Adding an EQ or other components within Foobar makes the gap even wider. So, I'm back to my old clunky interface. So be it. Oh, and I was going to do Remote Desktop but I'd have to upgrade to the Pro Windows OS to use it... another $100 to save me a little hassle... we'll see.
